Chicken Pot Pie

While I know it is summer, this is still a favorite of ours to make year round.  Especially when I need a quick go to from my freezer.  You can either make the crust from scratch or when in a pinch use a pre-made refrigerated crust.  My kids gobble this up so there is little to no leftovers usually.  The filling often will make enough for 2 pot pie's, so be prepared to either make 2, or freeze half of the filling to use next time.  This recipe freezes amazing!  Hope you enjoy it!

2 C. diced peeled potatoes
1 3/4 C. sliced carrots
2/3 C. chopped Onion
4 C. cooked chicken
1 C. frozen peas
1 C. frozen corn
1 C. butter, cubed
1 C. flour
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. ground sage
3/4 tsp. pepper
3 C. Chicken broth
1 1/2 C. milk
2 refrigerated or homemade Pie crusts 

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender; drain.
2. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, corn and potato mixture; remove from heat.
3. Unroll a pastry sheet into each of two 9-in. pie plates; trim even with rims. Add chicken mixture. Unroll remaining pastry; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in tops.
4. Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. 

Often when making this I have leftover filling, and so I'll either make a second pot pie with additional crusts, or I'll freeze the filling in the shape of my pie tin in a ziploc bag to use later.  It makes for a quick meal on a night I haven't thought much about dinner in advance.

For the freezer method, cover and freeze unbaked pies. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 425°. Place pies on baking sheets; cover edges loosely with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 70-80 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

Honey Lime Tilapia

We had this recipe at my mom's last week.  We usually aren't huge fish eaters, but my kids couldn't help but ask for seconds and even thirds.  This was amazing!!! Definitely a staple recipe now!  Hope you enjoy it.

Marinade:
Zest and juice from 1 lime
1 1/2 Tbsp. Honey
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

Dredge
1/2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Combine marinade ingredients in a zip lock back or shallow container and place desired number of pieces of tilapia in with marinade.  Leave in marinade anywhere from 1-24 hours

When ready to cook, combine flour with salt and pepper on a plate, remove each fish fillet from the marinade and dredge lightly with the flour on both sides, just a light coating.

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet o0ver medium high heat until shimmering.  Cook fillets 2 at a time for 3-4 minutes per side or until opaque and browned.  Try not to disturb the fish so that you get a nice browned layer.  Serve with lime wedges.

You can freeze the fish with the marinade in zip lock bags, and then thaw and cook as well.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

I love Indian food, seriously, it is an obsession some times.  Thankfully my family put's up with my love.  This is a great recipe and is full of flavor.  You can either serve this over plain rice or you can do seasoned rice.  I prefer plain rice so I can enjoy the flavors on the sauce and meat.

1 C. plain yogurt (I use low-fat)
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. black pepper
1 T. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. salt
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 long skewers
1 T. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 C. half and half (I often use Fat Free half and half)
¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped


1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and 2 tsp. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir in chicken, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. preheat grill and lightly oil grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 tsp. cumin, paprika, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir in tomato sauce and half and half. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with basmati rice.

Sloppy Joes

I needed a new sloppy joe recipe, I was done with my mom's recipe, I needed something more bold and flavorful.  I found exactly what I was looking for.  These sloppy joes from The Pioneer Woman are savory, yet tangy and yummy. I'm not going to lie when I say that I might have eaten the mixture straight from the container the next day without a bun.  Yep, they were that good.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (with my kids I added less than this, so it wasn't too spicy for them.)
• Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
• Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Kaiser Rolls
• Butter

Preparation Instructions

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up. Serve hot with kettle cooked chips!

Moo Shu Noodles

This is another amazing recipe that I got quite awhile ago from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It is a quick go to recipe.  I often times in a crunch will use coleslaw mix if I have it in the fridge instead of slicing the cabbage.  I also love to add different veggies to the mix.  sometimes bean sprouts, carrots, snow peas, and  bok choy is always great in this recipe.  

12-ounces fettuccine
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
3 medium-sized boneless pork chops, thinly sliced (it is easier to slice thinly if pork chops are slightly frozen)
Ground black pepper
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons ginger (about a 2-inch piece), peeled and grated
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/2 pound mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water comes up to a bubble, add some salt and drop in the fettuccine. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve.

Combine the hoisin and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble. When done, scrape them onto a plate and reserve.

In the same skillet heat two tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes (don't overcook or pork will be tough!). Remove the meat from the pan onto the same plate as the eggs and keep warm.

Add the scallions, ginger and garlic to the pan, and cook until aromatic and the scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir-fry until golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add the cabbage to the pan and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. When the cabbage is tender, add the reserved pork and scrambled eggs back to the pan along with the hoisin-soy mixture and the chicken broth. Stir-fry to fully heat through, about 1 minute, and then toss with the reserved cooked pasta. Cook to heat through and serve.

Pepperoni Roll

This Pizza Roll I found on Pinterest was a huge hit! I found it over at http://whataboutpie.blogspot.com/2010/10/pepperoni-rolls.html.

3 Loaves Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough
1 packages Pepperoni
2 Cups Mozzarella
1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Italian Seasoning
3 Tbs Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
3 Tbsp Melter Butter
1 Jar Marinara Sauce

Loosely cover the frozen bread dough with plastic wrap. Allow dough to thaw for a few hours at room temperature. Roll dough out to approximately 11 x 11 square. One frozen dough log makes one pepperoni roll. Brush dough with olive oil, lay pepperoni on dough covering entire surface.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese & shredded Parmesan cheese. Lightly sprinkle with Italian Herbs, (dried oregano, parsley and basil) a little goes a long way. Sprinkle garlic powder over the cheese. Roll up dough starting at one edge of square. Place rolls on baking sheet, leaving space between. Brush melted butter on top of uncooked pepperoni roll. Bake at 375  degrees for 15-25 minutes. They will rise in the oven perfectly. When done, top of roll should be golden brown and you should be able to make a tapping sound on the crust with your fingernail, allow pepperoni roll to cool before serving. Dip in your favorite marinara sauce.

Baked Potato Soup

Next up off pinterest is this yummy soup I found over at http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/search/label/soups. My kids ask for seconds with this soup every time.

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese (don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!)

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, cut up cream cheese into small pieces and add to crock pot, keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or anything else you think would be good!!

Mexican Haystacks

Pinterest is a great spot to find lots of new recipes. I want to share a few we've tried that my family really enjoys. Here's one, found over at http://www.jensyummyfun.com/2011/12/mexican-haystacks.html

Mexican Haystacks

8 oz cream cheese
2 C milk
1 C water
1 C sour cream
2 tsp cumin
1 med sweet onion diced
1 Tbl chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dip
3-4 frozen chicken breasts
2 Can diced green chilies
1 bag frozen corn
2 cans black beans
2 cans Rotel
Fresh cilantro
cheese

This serves a big group 10+ so 1/2 the recipe if feeding a small family

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients except  chicken, beans, corn and Rotel. Heat/stir until smooth and  creamy, then add remaining ingredients and let cook in crock pot on low all 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally.  Once chicken is cooked dice or shred it then add back to the sauce. Serve over tortilla chips and rice . Garnish with cheese and fresh cilantro. This is a crowd pleaser!

Grilled Chicken with Lemon & Oregano

This was a refreshing and light dish. If you like citrus give it a go. I may use half lemon and half orange juice next time to mix it up a bit. I found the recipe over at Recipe Girl.

1 Tbs grated lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for grates
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 boneless skinless breasts (about 6 ounces each)
4 medium lemons, halved crosswise
oregano sprigs for garnish (optional)

1. Prepare marinade: In a small bowl, whisk lemon zest and juice, oregano, oil, 2 tsp. coarse salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Divide marinade between 2 large re-sealable plastic bags. Place 2 chicken halves in each bag; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning bags occasionally.

2. Preheat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Remove chicken from marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken on grill. Cover and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should read 175° when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken). If chicken is browning too quickly, move to cooler parts of grill or turn grill to low heat.
3. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Tent with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place lemon halves on the grill, cut side down; cook until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve chicken breasts with grilled lemon halves. Garnish with fresh oregano sprigs, if desired.

Chicken Pot Pie

4	boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced	2	(10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
3	Tbs. bacon grease or olive oil	1/2	cup evaporated milk
4	cloves garlic; minced	1 1/2	tsp. poultry seasoning
1	yellow onion; diced	1	Tbs. Worcestershire
4	medium potatoes; diced		salt and black pepper to taste
1	(16 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables; thawed	1	can refrigerated crescent rolls

Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 20-22 briquettes bottom until hot. To hot oven add bacon grease, chicken and garlic; season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook chicken stirring frequently until chicken is no longer pink. Add onions and potatoes and continue cooking until onions are translucent but still firm. Stir in mixed vegetables, soup, evaporated milk, poultry seasoning and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Let mixture come to a low boil. Unroll the crescent rolls and create a top crust by layering flat rolls across the top of ingredients.
Reduce the heat on bottom to 8-10 briquettes and add 14-16 briquettes to the lid. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and flaky. Check to make sure potatoes are cooked through. If not, then remove all briquettes from the lid and continue to cook maintaining bottom heat to keep pie bubbling an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.

Fajita Marinade

I tried my neighbors fajita marinade a couple weeks ago and it was so yummy! Thanks for sharing Leslie.

For Meat:
1/4 c. lime juice
1/3 c. water
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tap. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
dash of onion powder

For Vegies:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 T. water
1/2 tsp lime juice
dash of salt and pepper

In a gallon bag add all ingredients for the Meat marinade. Place chicken, steak or shrimp into the bag and marinade for a couple hours. Cook meat on a hot grill. Cook sliced peppers and onions in a pan with the veggie marinaade until carmalized then mix with meats. Serve with tortillas, cheese and sourcream.

Chicken Carbonara

This is my neighbors recipe. We have eaten it several times in their home and they've brought it to us a couple times after surgery. (They're great neighbors & know it is my hubbies favorite.) It is delicious!

1/2 lb. thickly sliced bacon
1 small onion
1 lb linguini
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 grilled Chicken breasts

Grill two chicken breasts and slice thinly. Dice bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Saute onion for 5 minutes in 2 tablespoons bacon drippings. Cook linguini according to aladente package directions. While pasta is cooking , beet eggs well in a small bowl. Drain pasta and toss with beaten eggs, onions, bacon, salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan. Top with grilled chicken.

Chicken Parmigiano Alfredo

A friend at work told me about one of her families favorite recipes so I adapted it and made it for my hubby and kiddos to try out in the crockpot one night last week while I was at work. They called me at work and told me it was one of their favorites, ever!

1 lb chicken cooked and shredded or cut into bit size pieces

1 package linguine noodles cooked

1 jar marinara

1 jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella

I started by grilling chicken tenders on my george foreman while boiling the noodles. Cut up chicken and drain noodles. Spray crockpot with cooking spray they add half the noodles, chicken and sauces to crockpot and sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese on top. Make one more layer with the other half of ingredients and cover with Mozzarella. Cook on low until cheese is melted and pasta is warmed through.

Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches

These were so good. Perfect for summer grilling. As soon as I saw them over at Family Favorite Recipes I knew I had to give em a try, they did not disappoint.

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (we used Lawry's brand)
3/4 c. brown sugar
4 slices deli ham
1 can sliced pineapple (or you can use fresh which would be even better)
4 slices Pepper Jack cheese
4 large hamburger buns

Pound chicken breasts until they are about 1/4" thick all around. Place in a large Ziploc bag. Combine Teriyaki sauce and brown sugar until sugar dissolves. Add 1/2 of the mixture to the bag with the chicken and seal tightly. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours. Separate remaining Teriyaki mixture into 2 separate bowls (to prevent cross contamination use 2 separate brushes too)-- one for the pineapple, one for the chicken. Open pineapple can and save a little of the juice in a bowl. Place chicken and pineapple on the grill (medium heat). Brush with Teriyaki sauce every few minutes until chicken and pineapple are done-- try to only flip the chicken and pineapple once. Either on the grill or in a frying pan, cook ham with a little of the pineapple juice until it becomes nice and hot. Slice open hamburger buns and place a piece of cooked chicken on each bottom bun. Top with cheese, ham, grilled pineapple, and bun top. Serve immediately with remaining grilled pineapple.

Cordon Bleu Pillows

At the recommendation of a friend, I made these for the first time a few nights ago and my kids loved them. More please was the consensus around here.

12 Rhodes White Dinner Rolls, thawed
2 cups cooked and diced chicken breast (shredded rotisserie chicken works well too)
1 cup cooked and diced ham
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 packet Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
sesame seeds or bread crumbs


Combine two rolls and flatten into an 8-inch circle. Mix together chicken, ham, cheese and seasonings. Place 1/6th of the filling in the center of each circle. Pull edges up around filling and pinch together to seal. Place on a cookie sheet or in jumbo muffin tins. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or bread crumbs. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350° F 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Cream sauce:

1 can cream of chicken of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 tablespoon mayo
Milk (add till desired consistency)

Combine ingredients in sauce pan and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Meatball Subs

This is a real hit whenever I dish it up. They're quick and easy too.

2 lbs meatballs ( I get mine at Costco)
1 jar marinara
1 green pepper (sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1 container mushrooms 8 oz (sliced)
2 Tbsp Butter
Provolone/Mozzarella cheese slices or shreds
Hero Rolls

In a skillet melt butter and saute peppers, onions & mushrooms until tender and caramelized, remove from skillet. Warm meatballs on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes then add the marinara and reduce heat, bring to a simmer. Open & toast hero rolls then lightly butter. On a baking sheet add meatball mixture to hero roll and top with veggies & sliced cheese. Broil for 1-2 minutes in oven until melted. Enjoy. You can omit the veggies for those with a more picky palate.

Shredded Catalina Chicken

This is a quick and easy recipie my kids love.

1 Rotisserie Chicken (shredded)
1 small jar apricot jam
1 small bottle Catalina dressing (Russian dressing works well too)
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix

Combine jam, dressing and soup mix in bowl, pour over shredded chicken and mix well. Warm in the oven at 350 for 30-40 minutes or on the stove top over medium heat until warm through. Serve over baked potatoes or rice. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Goulash

Traditionally this is called "Hot Plate", and was made when people lived thru hard times like the depression when they didn't have much to get by on, but it is actually a pretty tasty meal, and can be made on a budget. It's another one of my mom's classic recipes that she made when I was growing up. It's pretty quick and easy to make, I hope you enjoy it.

1 lb. Hamburger
2 Potatoes Cubed
1 can red beans
1 Onion diced
1 Can vegetable Soup
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown Hamburger and boil potatoes, then mix all ingredients together and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with bread and butter.

Egg Rolls

When I was a kid we often had oriental night at my Grannies house. The adults went to town preparing all sorts of dishes from scratch, egg rolls being one of them. I loved helping roll them up tight, like an envelope before they were fried. My kids enjoy doing that now too. They are good, very good in fact, especially when dunked in a little sweet and sour sauce. This is the recipie we've used for generations.

1 C. Chopped Shrimp(optional)
1/2 lb ground sausage/pork
2 C. Chopped Cabbage
1 small can shredded bamboo shoots
2 small cans Water Chestnuts - diced
1/2 bunch Green onions Chopped
2 Carrots grated

1 Egg beaten
2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic chopped
1 Package Egg Roll Wrappers

Fry sausage, garlic and ginger until cooked, then drain. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Roll 1-2 Tbsp of mixture inside each egg roll wrapper, seal according to package directions. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

This is a quick and easy dinner recipie my kids enjoy.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 onion, finely diced

1(10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

1 Package frozen mixed vegetables ( or dice up fresh celery, carrots & 1 can corn)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 small can chicken broth

Directions

Place the chicken, soup, onion, veggies & seasoning in a slow cooker, pour chicken broth & enough water to cover.

Cook for 5 to 6 hours on high in slow cooker. About 30-45 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.